"With the election, and with everything that's happened since, I feel it's time for me to step down," Casserly said last night. He acknowledged his resignation came a day after a breakfast meeting with Wandell and trustee-elect Jessica...

"With the election, and with everything that's happened since, I feel it's time for me to step down," Casserly said last night. He acknowledged his resignation came a day after a breakfast meeting with Wandell and trustee-elect Jessica Bernius, though he would not say if there was a connection.

Wandell, due to be sworn in on Monday, will appoint someone to fill Casserly's seat.

Casserly and Wandell were opponents in a three-way race for mayor with trustee Ed Johnson earlier this month. Rivalries aside, the three shared the dais this week at Imbert's final board meeting.

In his letter, Casserly, 64, a veteran of multiple administrations with 30 years of service as a trustee, wrote that his resignation would allow Wandell to "carry out his mandate and ideas for our great village."

He wrote that he'd sent a separate letter to Wandell offering to help the new administration "in any way he may see fit," adding that he hoped his departure would not affect reconstruction of the municipal beach and redevelopment of the Brunswick Hospital property on Broadway, two projects he was involved with as deputy mayor.

Wandell said last night that Casserly had told him by phone that he was resigning. The move came as a surprise, he said. "He has been a fine public servant," Wandell said. "What I took from our conversation is that he felt he wanted to move on . . . It's tough on us because his experience would be valuable."

Bernius could not be immediately reached last night. Imbert was traveling and could not be reached.

Casserly had two years remaining in his term. His departure leaves Dennis Siry, elected two years ago, as the village's senior trustee.

Babylon Town Supervisor Rich Schaffer, who supported Casserly's campaign, said Casserly told him of his decision early Friday. "Pete's been around a long time," he said. "He wants the village to thrive, and he's politically astute enough to know when it's time to move on."